OPEN NOW
Soda Fountain + Youth Entrepreneurs
(YouEs)
In most places, entrepreneurship is taught.
Here, it’s practiced.
Our 1941 soda fountain is open and operating.
It’s run by local high school students who earn wages, serve customers, and learn business in real time.
We’ve also launched a Vending Program, currently servicing a local manufacturer, with a clear next step: expanding into schools using products made right here in our future shared-use kitchen
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Maker Studios + Tools for Production
Most small town ideas never make it
past the kitchen table.
We’ve secured initial funding to begin changing that — with 3D printers, wide-format production, and the buildout of two maker studios in our basement.
This is the next step:
moving from learning → making.
WHAT THIS BECOMES
The Linger Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
A good idea isn’t enough. It must
be built, prepared, and sold.
One building. One pipeline:
Learn → Make → Package → Sell
Youth + adults working together to turn local skill into real businesses.
We’ve proven the model. Now we’re building the full system.
LEARN BY DOING
In most communities, young people prepare for work.
Here, they do it.
The soda fountain and vending program are already creating real jobs, real responsibility, and real experience — not simulations.
MAKE REAL PRODUCTS
Most rural ideas stall before they ever become something tangible.
We’re building the space and tools needed to move beyond home kitchens and hobby setups — so people can actually produce goods at a higher level.
PACKAGE + PREPARE
A product isn’t ready until someone wants to buy it.
We’re working to ensure local goods can be labeled, packaged, and presented in a way that holds its own in any market.
SELL + GROW
The real test isn’t making — it’s selling.
From the soda fountain to vending and future retail channels, we’re building pathways that allow products to reach customers — and turn effort into income.
Still wondering how this all fits together?
Frequently Asked Questions about Linger Gig Lab
What is Linger Gig Lab?
Linger Gig Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building a local pathway from
first job → first product → first business.
We start with real-world learning (like our soda fountain and vending program) and expand into production, design, and sales — all in one place.
What is your mission?
Linger Gig Lab enhances rural communities by providing space and equipment for educational and experiential learning, small business incubation, and community gathering.
In simple terms: we help people learn, make, and sell — right here in Cimarron.
What kinds of spaces are planned inside Linger?
As the buildout continues, the building will include:
• Launch Bays – small retail spaces for local products
• Art Bays + Curiosity Gallery – rotating exhibits and community art
• Launch Lounge – a place for entrepreneurs to work and connect
• Content Studio – photography, video, and storytelling
Each space plays a role in helping ideas become real.
What’s actually open right now?
Our 1941 soda fountain is open and operating, staffed by local youth entrepreneurs.
We’ve also launched a vending program serving a local manufacturer — with plans to expand as we begin producing our own products.
What’s still being built?
We’re actively building out the next phase:
• Maker studios (3D printing + production space)
• Shared-use kitchen (Gray County Food Works)
• Packaging and content capabilities
We’ve proven the model. Now we’re building the full system.
What is the space open for during the day?
The building is open to the public Monday–Saturday, 8am–8pm.
Even outside staffed hours, it functions as a third space — a place to sit, meet, work, and experience what’s happening in the building.